The dragon amongst wolves
by shadowdreamer Lady Fate
Summary: UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE. What would happen if Ranma suddenly diappeared and no one knew where he went. The wrecking crew only finds him three years after he disappeared, but what happens when it is not the Ranma we all know and love.
1. the Found

Hello,

Flying Rat Productions has finally started to branch out. We now are doing a Ranma ficcie as well.

This is a rewrite of the original which is now being Co-Authored by Black Dragon Queen. For those that are a new reader please go on and enjoy. For those of you that have been sending the death glares the story is now back in production. You will need to reread the chapters. I hope that you like it and Please review.

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Warning: Not for those that like Akane. This story will deal with the issues of suicide and child abuse. Slight crossover with many different things. Give us a laugh and see if you can name what they are from.

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Kallipso runs around wildly looking back and forth. "Is it okay to come out or am I signing my own death warrant?"

BDQ pops out behind Kallipso with a mallet. "Give me back my Ed-chan. I am helping you know give me back Ed-chan."

Kallipso epps and speeds away yelling. "Please enjoy the story. If you like Ryuniko Takahashi please go read BDQ's Shadowed Nights."

* * *

The Found

It had taken a lot of man power for Nabiki to finally find the runaway Satome. A lot of man power and whole lot of money. It had been such a shock for the family when one morning the Tendo household had awoken to find out that the best martial artist in all of Nermia, perhaps the world had just up and disappeared. There was not a trace of him any where.

A search of the school, the multitude of restaurants, the mass of rooftops, _both _of Ukyo's and The Neko Haten and even Ranma's favorite food stand's had failed to show even one hair of the missing fighter. They had gotten so worried that the Tendo's had eventually had to swallow their fears and called Nodoka to find out if Ranma, or rather Ranko, was over at her house only to be disappointed when Nodoka announced that she had not seen him either. They had gone all around Nermia asking any one and everyone if they had seen him only to find out no one had seen Ranma since the day previous.

When the search for the boy hit a dead end after a full two weeks of searching, the father's quickly set Nabiki out use her massive network of contacts to find the escaped fiancé. It had taken three years but Nabiki had finally received the phone call that they had all been waiting for. They had finally found the martial artist. The Satome's where bristling with held in rage when they learned the location of the wayward boy. Nabiki had finally been able to find Ranma through the use of Nodoka's clan connections.

Ranma was living with a rival clan which had once opposed Nodoka's clan which was why they had more than the usual wrecking crew with them. They quickly made their way up to the compound/temple with full fledged battle aura's, each one determined to get an explanation out of Ranma one way or the other as to the reason why he had put the stupid stunt that had put them through such hell.

Nodoka marched right up to the door and pounded on the wooden paneling with murder in her eyes. That her son had shirked his duty's to the point of actually running _away_ had brought enough grief to their family, but for the boy to actually go to another clan, a rivaling clan, was the worst form of shame imaginable.

Nodoka's face twisted into an ugly scowl and she raised her fist to bang again, to demand that they be heard or else. So when the door was suddenly opened, she had to drop her fist down or else look like some demented tyrant. That the door had been answered by an imposing figure that seemed to fill the door way in more ways than possible did not deter her from her mission in anyway. Though she could feel some of those behinds take a few steps back. 'Cowards' she mentally sneered.

"How can I help you?" the giant of a man asked eyeing the slight woman before him before gazing out at the multitude of people behind her.

"You have my child in your house." Nodoka announced forcefully. "Ranma has out standing debt's that must be address. I ask that you either hand my child over to me or grant me the honor of speaking to the head of this clan."

The man stared at her for a beat before opening the door wider. "A small contingent of your people may enter while I get the head of the house but be warned," he looked at the large group of people and their enacing auras. "Should any harm befall anyone in this household due to actions by you or your companions there will be great antagonism between your clan and mine. I am Bankotsu please come this way. " Bankotsu finished his small speech with a near-lethal gaze before leading them to a secluded receiving area. Nodoko nodded, feeling the Kuno siblings relief that they and the other cowards would remain out doors and scowled at them briefly. What kind of unfit martial artist did her son socialize with?

"The master should be with you soon," and with that said Bankotsu turned and left them alone. The wrecking crew found themselves looking around at the delicate looking surroundings with surprised at the lavishness that was shown. They could not believe that any place that Ranma stayed in could stay so nice.

"It's probably a front! That perverted baka ruins everything he touches." Akane said in a rage. Even after three years she still was incapable of controlling her massive temper. "He could never appreciate the fine and hard work that was put in this room. He probably lives in a cell where he belongs."

Kasumi and Nabiki shared a look and shook their heads at the hate filled girl. They had tried nearly everything since Ranma left to try and help there sister recover and learn to deal with all the bad events that had happened to her but nothing they did or said seemed to have any effect on the girl at all. All they had gotten was nearly broken bones, bruises and damaged property. Their deadbeat father was no help even when they tried to curb there sisters traits he encouraged her.

"Now dear, remember that you can't damage anything in this room. If you feel the need to prove your point to my son you will have to wait until we leave this place," Nodoka reminded Akane gently.

Akane frowned, but nodded to Nodoka in acknowledgement that she understood.

Nodoka smiled at Akane with pride. She would make a perfect wife for her son. Akane could keep him in line and not let him do stupid stunts like this again. All of the wrecking crew present, Ukyo, Shampoo, Cologne, Mousse, Ryouga, and the rest of the Tendo's moved away from the two psychotic women and all breathed a sigh of relief when the master of the household entered.

"Hello," he greeted them. "I have heard that clan Tendo's, Satome's, and Himura's have something to discuss with our clan."

Nodoka immediately sat up straighter than before and turned to address the gentleman. "Hello, my name is Nodoka Himura Satome. I have learned that my wayward child, Ranma Satome, has ended up seeking shelter within your clan walls. I humbly ask that he be returned to our clan," she requested.

The clan head looked at the woman before him with a slight look of puzzlement. "I am truly sorry, but there is no Ranma Satome here."

Nodoka nodded her head in understanding of the man's confusion. "I fear that Ranma may have come under an alias, may we pleased be accepted here to make sure that Ranma is not here?" Nodoka asked. She sent a pointed look at Genma when he went to say something reminded him her order to stay silent.

The man looked around at all the occupants of the room with a critical eye, but it seemed that no one was able to hone in of this fact as the all waited with held breaths at his decision.

"Very well," the man agreed. "You may be accepted into our clan walls for now. Heed the warning that you where given by Bankotsu we do not wish fighting within our clan walls, but if you harm or attempt to remove any valuables be it people or otherwise you will be punished." The head said in a deadly voice to them.

After bowing in thanks, Kasumi's melodic voice spoke up from her position by her father. "May I ask what clan we are visiting sir?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Welcome to the Hajime clan home. I hope that you enjoy your stay here. I am Hajime Kale." With that said the clan head turned and left the room leaving some members the wrecking crew wondering if chargingin head first was really such a good idea as they had thought.

Upstairs however someone had already determined that their idea was probably the _worst _idea ever in existence.

'It has been three years since I last saw any of the Nermia wrecking crew,' the figure mused. 'Three years and they look exactly the same.'

'It's so odd to think that the gang has stayed completely the same when here I had changed so much from the being that I once was. Some how I always thought that while I had been changing so much that everyone changed as well but clearly that was not the case. Every one was the exact same as before. Hell, even their aura's haven't developed since I last saw them. It's so weird. It's as if everyone remained frozen in the exact place as they were when I left.'

The figure dropped the curtain from his window and glanced around the bedroom with it's little bosai trees and calm little waterfall.

'And I remember the reason why I left like it was just yesterday. The torment that I went through that finally pushed me over the edge and finally convinced me to leave. The hell I lived. '

'Bastards.'


	2. The lost

**_AN: Here is the next chapter people have been looking for please tell BDQ and me if you like them. All warning apply from the first chapter._**

**This is a rewrite if you have not read the beginning chapters again Please return to chapter one otherwise be prepared to be confused.**

**Kallipso**** pokes her head in. " Hmmm, not rotting tomatos you must have forgiven me. Please enjoy your reading."**

**BDQ runs in "Give me back my Ed-chan."**

**Kallipso**** runs laughing. " I took your Reno while you were not looking." Rubs hands together and laughs evils as she speeds away.**

**_The lost_**

**Flashback of Three Years Ago.**

"Ranma no baka you where out with that hussy Shampoo again weren't you?" Akane had shouted as she rushed at the dark haird boy with mallet-sama on the ready.

"You stupid tomboy..." Ranma didn't even get to finish his thoughts let alone his sentence when he suddenly found himself flying across the sky to land in pool on the other side of Nermia.

After Ranma pulled her now female self out of the water, she couldn't help but groan at the routine that her life had fallen into. 'I hate this.' she told thought as she started to slowly make her way back to the dojo. 'I can't get a word in before I get malleted, glomped or groped. I am so sick of this. It's not my fault that my pops is so stupid and engaged me to everyone. There really is no way to get out of this mess is there?'

Trapped in her thoughts as she was, Ranma never noticed as she was walking was the fact that with each step she took, it left a dripping blood trail behind her. A result the injuries that she had sustained before and after the malleting.

As Ranma continued her bleak journey home, a dark haired man walked out of his house into the garden to investigate the noise he had heard coming from the back yard. It had sounded like something had landed in the pool however when he checked the pool he saw that there was nothing in it. The man sighed in relief, until out of the corner of his eye he saw a trail of blood and water moving away into the grounds. The man raised an eyebrow at the blood and started to follow it when one of his guards came rushing up to him.

"Hajime-sama," the guard cried. "One of the others saw an intruder on the premises."

Hajime frowned and gestured to the numerous puddles of water. "I can already see that," he told the guard in dismay. "Does anyone know who the intruder is? Or how they got here in the first place?"

"That's the strange thing about it," the guard explained. "There's something weird about the intruder. The camera caught a young man falling into the pool but a young lady left the pool."

Hajime frowned, his brows furling in confusion and wondered if they were looking for a boy or a girl intruder or if somehow it was _two_ intruders that they were looking for. "Is the intruder still on the premises?" he asked as he wondered what it was the camera's caught or if they had been tampered with.

"Yes, sir." The guard told him. "The intruder is moving very slowly sir. She was only to about the second gate when we last checked." The guard explained.

"Thank you; please make sure that the others know to stop her from leaving. Do not harm her though, until we find out more." Hajime ordered. "Then I want the guard to do a full sweep of the premises to see if we have any other uninvited guests."

The guard nodded and rushed off to relay his orders to the others and Hajime quickly started to follow the trail of blood, alarm growing with in him when it seemed the drops of blood seemed to be getting bigger. It was when he suddenly heard a commotion ahead of him he started to speed up his pace, hoping to arrive before things really got out of hand.

Ranma, meanwhile, cursed her luck as she was stopped at the third gate she had come to. She was starting to wonder just how big an estate she had landed on and if she was ever going to get out of there.

Something this stupid guard in front of her seemed to be determined to keep from happening from the way he planted himself right in her path. Ranma gritted her teeth in anger.

"Please, let me through." Ranma-Chan said to the men in front of her with as much politeness as she could possibly muster. All she wanted was to get home and maybe crawl into bed for a good year. "I did not mean to land on your estate. I don't want ta have ta fight you."

"And neither do we wish to fight you young lady," came a voice suddenly from behind Ranma-chan.

Whirling in surprise Ranma quickly turned around to face the person that had spoken to her. A dark haired man with molten gold colored eyes stood behind her watching her intently. He was dressed in a hakama and gi with two traditional swords by his side and Ranma winced at his chosen attire. She could not help but think 'not another Kuno, please not another Kuno. I can't deal with this right now.'

"I am truly sorry for intruding on your land," she bowed deeply. "It was unintended. My name is Ranma Satome, sorry about this." Ranma-chan introduced herself.

"Ranma Satome, eh?" the man asked. "I am Kale Hajime of the Hajime clan and I must admit that I have never heard of the Satome clan name before. I think it best if we took this conversation inside where we may discuss this over a cup of tea, and perhaps bandage your wounds, if you wouldn't mind miss?" Kale said to her.

Behind Hajime the stubborn guard who had refused Ranma passage whispered furiously, "Hajime-sama, are you sure that this is a good idea?"

"Calm yourself Bankotsu." Hajime soothed him. "Our guest is extremely injured and does not seem up to a fight. It would damage our clans honor and reputation if she were seen leaving in such a state.

"You are right Hajime-sama. Sorry for doubting you." Bankotsu whispered once more.

As the two whispered, Ranma was wondering how to get herself out of this situation. She was not paying very much attention to what was going on around her as long as the men did not move towards her. "You don't have to go through this trouble Hajime-san. I must be getting back." Ranma-chan said.

"Please, I insist." Hajime insisted.

Ranma was thinking of protesting again when her throbbing injury demanded to be noticed. It was hard to think of a reason to refuse or even stand up with all the blood she was losing. Ranma had been in to many fights that day and her body was not healing as fast as it normally would. The mixture of the fights with Ryouga, Mousse, and Shampoo had left her exhausted not to mention the mind altering drugs that the crazed amazons seemed to always dose her with. Ranma tried to keep focused on the men in front of her to shake of the depression that was starting to try and take her over again. She nodded wearily to Hajime trying to keep a close eye on the men in front of her

Hajime and Bankotsu each stepped to a side and seemed to wave in a general direction to show her to the way. Ranma braced her aching body and managed to take a couple of steps before she felt her knees start to give out on her. 'No not now, not in front of strangers. Must not show any weakness.' Was the last thought running through Ranma's head before she felt that air whizzing around her and all she saw black.

Hajime watched the girl in front of him closely as she started to walk towards him closely and was barely able to catch her as when started to fall. Bankotsu cursed as he saw his master catch the girl, only to stop dead at the sight of panic on Hajime's face.

"Hajime-sama?" Bankotsu questioned, a note of panic beginning to creep into his own voice.

"Get Jason, as fast as you can!" Hajime shouted. "She is losing too much blood. Tell him to meet me in my room it is the closet." Picking up the girl's limp form he ran back towards the house hoping that they were not too late for the girl he had known for all of five minutes.

The girl in his arms was beautiful, slim, and athletic yet well rounded in all the places a women needed to be. There was one thing that concerned him thought. She didn't seem to weigh half of what a normal health person should weigh; Hajime could feel some of her bones as he ran with her in his arms. Then there was the blood that soaked his white gi. He put on more speed as he ran towards his room. If something wasn't done soon there would be no girl to question later.

He burst into his room not even bothering to close the door and set the girl onto his very own bed. Racing to the attached bathroom he managed to grab some towels and raced back to try to stanch the flow of blood seeping from the girl and wished his men would move their asses and get there before he ran out of towels.

As Hajime tried to slow the blood, the family medic on duty Jason was running towards his location at top speed with a worried Bankotsu at his side. "Do you know what is going on?" he asked as they rounded the bend towards the main house.

"There was an intruder in the compound." Bankotsu explained hurriedly. "The intruder some how landed in the pool. She said her name was Ranma Satome and Hajime-sama asked her to come and speak with him so that we could find out why she was on our land but she just collapsed when we tried to get her to follow us. Hajime-sama said she was loosing too much blood and sent me to fetch you."

Jason nodded to Bankotsu as they arrived at Hajime's room and rushed inside only to screech to a dead stop at the sight before them.

Hajime's white gi was soaked to a crimson red from all the blood the girl was losing so quickly. Jason cursed as he rushed to the other side of Hajime and his unconscious patient going fully into doctor mode.

Hajime looked up once he heard the familiar curse and realized that help had arrived. As he looked at his old long time friend with frightened, pleading eyes held in his blood-streaked face. "She's loosing too much blood, I can't stop it."

"What the hell happened?" Jason asked as he peeled Hajime's hand and the bloody towel away from the girl's wounds. "Your men are good fighters. They would never injure a person to such a sever point."

Hajime shook his head, "it wasn't my guards."

"She was already injured when she landed in the pool," Bankotsu explained from the doorway.

"When I saw the trail of blood that Ranma had lost by the pool it appeared like a simple cut but…"

"Damn," Jason hissed as he examined the wound and began to move his hands down her body assessing the damage. "Then it must have happened with all the moving she had done. She opened the cuts wider and shifted the delicate bones that had been broken."

Jason turned to Bankotsu a look of anger on his serious face. "Call an ambulance," he said gravely, "this is way beyond my skill. This girl need surgery and she needs it immediately." Bankotsu nodded solemnly and ran out of the room.

"Is it really that bad?" Hajime asked.

Jason turned from binding the oozing wound to look at him with grave eyes. "In all my years serving the Hajime clan I have seen many things. However, I have never seen wounds at a level of this severity in all my life."

Hajime swallowed hard and with out though, reached down and took one of Ranma's hands into his own. There was no time to search for any one who knew her. It was unknown where she lived and Hajime refused to allow the girl to be alone. She was injured to the point of near death. He hoped that she would feel the small gesture of comfort as they waited for Bankotsu and the ambulance.


	3. The need for retreat

New Revised Chapter 3

AN: I hope you have an interesting time with this chapter and enjoy.

**_–_****_The Need for Retreat_**-

**The Flash Back Continues**

It was ten minutes later when the ambulance finally arrived and bustled Ranma into the vehicle. Climbing into the back, Jason was grilling the two medics on Ranma's status while Hajime turned to Bankotsu. "Follow us in the car," he ordered just as the doors were shut. Hajime listened to the medical mumbo-jumbo talk floating above him with half an ear as he reclaimed the girl's hand and simply squeezed it for the entire trip.

Arriving at the hospital, the gurney was hustled out and rushed into the emergency ward where a whole battalion of doctors and nurses descended upon it. A rather large nurse with biceps the size of small cars suddenly wrenched Hajime away from his post at Ranma's side and he found himself being subtly guided out of the way by a concerned Bankotsu towards the waiting chairs.

The gurney was quickly rolled down a hallway and behind two doors barring a large "Surgery" sign above and out of sight. With his surprised guest firmly in the hands of the doctors, Hajime finally sagged into the seat in exhausted relief Bankotsu patting his shoulder reassuringly.

Jason soon finished his inquiry with the head nurse before making his way to the waiting two. "It's bad," he announced before they could utter a single word of their many questions.

"Just what is wrong with her?" Hajime asked full of anxiety at the answer.

"Hell, it's even worse than _I_ though." Jason shook his head as he collapsed into the empty seat next to Bankotsu. "From what the doctors can tell, she has a fractured clavicle, a shattered right tibia, at least three broken ribs and multiple fractures in her radius. Hell, there's probably even some internal damage but the doctors won't know until they have her on the operating table."

Bankotsu and Hajime stared. "Okay, all I got out of that speech was 'broken ribs'," Hajime told him.

"In human speak please?" Bankotsu asked encouragingly.

Jason sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Sorry guys. She has at least a broken collar bone, her leg's shattered and her arm's busted."

"Wonderful," Bankotsu muttered sarcastically as he slouched down in his seat.

"How long will it be before we have the diagnosis?" Hajime asked.

Jason threw up his hands in answer.

"Wonderful," Hajime muttered as he turned to stare at the doors that Saotome-san had been carted through.

"Her family should be here," Jason and Hajime startled at Bankotsu's announcement.

"True," Jason sighed. "We've know her for only an hour and most of that was when she was unconscious."

"You're right," Hajime agreed. "They should know what happened to their daughter. Get on the line and call Shirou. Have him start a trace on this Satome family and see if they can get down here right away. He can contact us here at the hospital if he needs us."

Bankotsu nodded and immediately yanked out his cell phone and headed outside to make the call, fingers already dialing the number.

Jason eye Hajime critically. "Isn't that the hospitals job?"

Hajime shrugged, "Shirou has better connections in the registry department and is a hell of a lot quicker. Her family should be here for her."

"Mmm," Jason murmured. "So why are we still here?"

Hajime shrugged evasively.

"Then I suppose we should leave-"

"We were with her when she went unconscious." Hajime argued. "She knows no one here at there should be at least one familiar person here when she wakes up."

Jason raised an eyebrow at his long time patent. He had known Kale Hajime since he was a baby and while Hajime was a kind generous man, sitting in terrible, ugly orange plastic chair while waiting for a patient whom they knew absolutely nothing about was not something he expected out of the other man.

Bankotsu returned from his call just as an older gentleman wearing the obvious lab coat over his scrubs came over to the section they were seated in. "My name is Kou Hashimoto and I'm one of the doctors working Satome-san's case," he explained to them. "I was told that you arrived with the patient in the ambulance. I have to have some forms filled out and needed some of Satome-san's information."

"There's a problem with that," Jason interrupted. "The truth is that we don't actually _know_ Ranma Satome-san."

Dr. Hashimoto looked at them in complete confusion. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Satome-san was found trespassing on my property with a multitude of injuries. Naturally we called for help when my household physician announced the severity of her wounds."

"There is no idea where her family is?" Dr. Hashimoto asked.

Bankotsu shook his head; "All she managed to tell us was her name before she passed out."

Dr. Hashimoto frowned in dismay as he looked down at his clipboard when Hajime spoke up. "I will be paying for Satome-san's treatment for the time being until her situation is sorted out." He ignored the way both Bankotsu and Jason whirled around to stare at him complete shock. "As for her past medical treatments, we can't help you."

The doctor sighed in relief. "Very well. These are the insurance forms as well as a few other documents. Now I understand that you have no personal connection to the patient, but we have to have most of these filled before we do any more invasive surgery."

"What about the surgery she's in now?" Bankotsu asked.

"Life threatening situation," Jason explained. "Takes precedence."

Hashimoto nodded. "These are for the other, minor surgery's."

"Money grubbing bastards," Jason muttered as they watched the doctor hurry away.

Hajime nodded in whole-hearted agreement as he began looking for a pen when he suddenly realized that he was still wearing his blood-drenched gi.

Well no wonder the old bitty across from them was giving him such terrified glances. "Er…"

Bankotsu smirked as he held out a pen for the man to use. "Perhaps I should return to the house to retrieve some fresher clothing?" he asked, amusement shining in his eyes. "Since it seems that we're going to be here a while."

Hajime sighed in relief as he took the writing tool. "That would be most appreciated. Thank you."

Jason groaned as he tried to find a comfortable position in the demonic chairs. "We're paying?" he demanded.

"Well 'we' are not doing anything. 'I' however am." Jason leveled a look at him. "I can afford it," Hajime protested.

Jason shrugged. "Your money."

"Indeed."

They sat in silence for an hour while Hajime filled out the forms, occasionally asking Jason to define some of the crazy medical speak. It was tedious, boring paper work that, try as he might, he just couldn't focus on.

He was worried for the girl. If she was in such bad shape as the doctors were telling him he only hoped that they got her to the hospital in time.

On the upside, the old bitty left.

He continued to fill out the paperwork for another hour as Jason watched a multitude of standard patients move in and out of the ER.

A small girl of about six who had come in for a broken arm sat down next to Hajime and began grilling Hajime about the blood on his clothes and if he had an owie just like she did. Jason smirked when it looked like the mother was going into cardiac arrest right there in the middle of the floor when she saw whom it is her daughter had sat down next to.

The little girl, Kanako she told them, waved as her mother practically dragged the girl down to the examining room and Hajime resumed his tedium paperwork.

"Here."

Hajime jerked as a little paper cup was held out in front of him. "Thanks," he took a long drink of the coffee only to try and cough it back up when the taste finally hit him.

"Amazing, isn't it? Able to put people back together from itty bitty pieces and yet still can't manage to put together a simple cup of coffee." Jason drawled.

"That is foul."

"This is a hospital."

Hajime scowled at his friend when he suddenly from the corner of his left eye saw Bankotsu entering the hospital with a confused look on his face followed closely by Shirou Ooshima the family attorney.

Meanwhile, on his right Jason sat up straighter as an older man came charging towards them with a murderous look on his face, Dr. Hashimoto trotting quickly on the other doctors heels. "Might I suggest a strategic retreat?" Jason asked eyeing the thunders man.

"Oh shut up," Hajime hissed as he stood up and braced himself for whatever happened.


	4. The puzzle

Chapter 4

AN: I laughed hysterically when BDQ gave me the name for the doctor. It is the name of the teacher I have for one of my classes . Please enjoy.

**The Flash Back Continues to Continue**

**_The Puzzle _**

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THAT CHILD?" Doctor Thunder screeched as he approached the two shocked men in the chairs.

"Now hold on just a minute!" Jason jumped to his feet, fury in his eyes. "If you think _we_ did this than you just think again! We did nothing to that girl other than bring her here for treatment."

"I tried to tell you Dr. Kurata," Dr. Hashimoto said shakily, "these men just found the victim. They weren't the ones who actually did anything."

"So they _say_," Kurata scowled at them. "How do we know that they're telling the truth? How do we know that they just aren't just covering for something or someone? I've been informed by our staff that there is no list of a 'Ranma Satome' anywhere in the Nermia district so I would like some answers NOW!"

"I may be able to help with that," Shirou Ooshima suddenly announced pulling out a large manila envelope. "I have been able to attain some records in regards to a one 'Ranma Satome' here in Nermia."

Hajime nodded in relief as Dr. Kurata yanked the papers out of Shirou's hands. Shirou may only be twenty-four but he already crack shot attorney who always delivered.

Dr. Kurata looked up from the papers looking even redder in the face than before. "Is this some sort of joke?" he growled angrily. "These papers are for a _boy_ named Ranma Satome."

"What?" Hajime peered over the man's shoulder much to the doctor's dismay and look at the photograph. Indeed it was a boy who stared back at him. "He looks exactly like our Ranma."

"Oh trust me, it gets weirder," Bankotsu told them as he handed Hajime a duffle bag of fresh clothes.

Shirou pulled out an old newspaper and handed that to the doctor as well. Hajime once more peered over his shoulder. There, on the first page of the sports section was the female Ranma that they had met that morning wearing a leotard and handcuffed to a pig?

"Ranma Satome defeats local gymnast prodigy," Kurata read the headline. "What the hell?"

"I did some investigating at the East Nermia High school and discovered that there is a boy named Ranma Satome registered there." Shirou held out the paperwork. "And not only that, but a female Ranma Satome appears to attend there as well. Seems the two are quite a legend on that side of town."

"Twins?" Jason suggested.

"That doesn't explain Ranma-chan's lack of paperwork." Bankotsu countered.

Kurata sighed. "If they are twins than we have a problem."

"Yes. Just what made you so angry when you came at us like a charging bear, Dr. Kurata?"

The man scowled at Jason. "And you are?"

"Doctor Jason Meredith, Graduate of America's Harvard Medical School. And where did you say _you_ went to school doctor?"

"Can the crap Jason," Bankotsu snapped. "What's wrong with Ranma-chan?"

Dr. Kurata scowled at Jason for a beat before turning to the others. "Ranma-san has suffered form what I suspect is prolonged child abuse. I'd say starting when she was about two or three years of age."

The four men gasped at the announcement.

Shirou was thoughtful for a moment. "That could explain the missing paperwork," he murmured more to himself than his audience.

"Perhaps we should speak of this else where?" Dr. Hashimoto suggested, looking at the collection of patients and nurses watching the goings on intently.

Agreeing, the group of gentlemen proceeded to Dr. Kurata's office, with Hajime making a quick detour to the lavatory to change out of his soiled clothing.

"Now if we could have a full explanation please?" Bankotsu asked eyes swiveling between the doctor and lawyer once the doors were closed. "Either one of you, I doubt it makes a difference."

Shirou glanced at the other man when Dr. Kurata waved at him to go first. "I'd like to hear your theory before I get into the details of the girls injuries."

The younger man nodded in thanks. "If Ranma-kun and Ranma-chan are in actuality twins, than that explains how it could be possible to hide Ranma-chan's birth." Puzzled looks greeted him and Shirou sighed in exasperation. "It would be obvious that the mother was pregnant but if no one was notified that she was expecting twins, no one would question when she showed up with only one child."

"So when the baby was added to the family registry, they only put down the son's name?" Hashimoto guessed.

"It's only a theory."

"My God," Dr. Kurata sat back in his chair in shock. "Never letting anyone know of the girls existence, and they could do whatever they wanted with her and no one would be the wiser."

"It's only a theory, of course. I'm still unsure of the particulars of this Ranma-kun." Shirou told them. "There's some sort of red tape concerning a trip out of the country and a few other anomaly's in the records but it shouldn't take me too long to get everything sorted out."

"Not bad for two hours work," Hajime grinned. "How long do you think it will take?"

"A day at the most."

"We'll also try and see if we can get any and all medical records for both Ranma's from our sister hospital on the other side of Nermia." Kurata told them. "As well as any possible blood samples that were taken from the two. We can compare it to our Ranma Satome."

"That should tell us exactly who she is." Hajime smiled gratefully. "Now you were going to explain the extent of Ranma-chan's injuries?"

"Just where is Ranma-chan now?" Jason interrupted. "Is she in the recovery ward?"

"No," Dr. Kurata sighed. "She had to be handed off to a bone reconstruction specialist for an assortment of grafts and from what he told me he'll have to insert some pins into her leg. There are three attending surgeons working on her case since her damage was that critical."

Bankotsu whistled softly and Hajime when white at the announcement.

"Her injuries are not good. There were numerous lacerations and more than likely a concussion. The five inch laceration on her side nearly severed one of her major artery's that I'm amazed that she was able to sit up let alone walk as far as you stated she did Doctor Meredith." Jason shrugged as Dr. Kurata continued. "While only one was near fatal, she still required over thirty stitches over nine different lacerations on her body. She has a most definite shattered tibia in her leg as well as a damaged patella,"

"Knee cap," Jason clarified.

"She had a broken collarbone, a fractured arm and four shattered ribs. We discovered that one of the ribs was threatening to puncture her lung and had to do an immediate emergency surgery to remove the dangerous piece. We nearly lost her more than once on the operating table."

Shirou gasped in shock and Bankotsu looked as if he were going to be ill.

Dr. Kurata looked at the four men filling his office. "And those are only the most recent injuries. Ranma Satome has suffered from consistent malnutrition, massive loss of bone density, numerous head contusions, over thirty fractures through out her entire skeletal structure and a multitude on improperly healed broken bones in all four of her limbs as well as torso that it was no wonder those ribs broke so destructively if they were already cracked!"

"There also seems to be massive tissue and muscular damage," Dr. Hashimoto continued. "Though Satome-chan seems highly well developed muscles there still is underlying damage from years of strain before they were completely developed."

"Then there's the head trauma," Dr. Kurata announced.

Jason frowned. "More than just the damage from the concussion?" Jason asked.

"Ranma Satome's occipital bone has sustained so much damage that I'm in shock that it's hasn't been turned into paste!" a new voice boomed into the office.

The men all whirled around at the intrusion and found themselves facing a rather large menacing woman of five foot seven and eyes that flamed with looks of pure hate. "Why aren't they in handcuffs?" She demanded. "Haven't the police been called?"

"Dr. Ikari," Dr. Kurata stood. "Gentlemen, this is Dr. Ikari our chief trauma physician. She'll be taking over Satome-Chan's case once she is removed from the emergency unit."

"What the hell is going on Dr. Kurata? I thought you went to apprehend the assailants!"

"It was a misunderstanding Dr. Ikari." Kurata soothed the fuming woman. "These gentlemen are good Samaritans, not abusers."

"Um," Shirou stood quickly and gathered his things. "I should probably get back to the office quickly so we can get the identity issue resolved and proper paperwork filed." He looked at the doctors who were squaring off; "I will assume that the hospital will be pressing child abuse charges once the parents have been located?"

"You bet your ass they'll be charges," Dr. Ikari snapped before either of her colleges could respond.

Nodding, Shirou beat a hasty retreat and his boss and co-workers watched him leave enviously.

"Now," Dr. Ikari appropriated Shirou's empty chair. "Will some one tell me exactly _what_ is going on?"


	5. Tofu

Chapter 5

**_Tofu_**

AN: Well the Hajime clan is in for the long haul. Please review and tells us what you think.

**The Continuing Flash Back Continues to Continue**

As Dr. Ikari was being filled in on the details of her patient, on other side of Nermia that a chain of events began to really take off. A lone man sat at his desk enjoying the wonderfully beautiful day as he worked on his patient accounts in his sun filled office. All was quiet outside but the gentleman knew than in Nermia, that peace would not hold for long.

His premonition was proven correct a moment later when his phone began to shrill beside him. He answered it before it managed a second time. 'I have got to get that replaced,' he thought irritably as he brought the phone to his ear. "Dr. Tofu's office, this is Dr. Tofu speaking. How may I help you?"

"Dr. Tofu?" a lady's voiced flowed down the line. "This is the east Nermia hospital calling. We have received a request from the West branch hospital emergency center for any and all medical records for a," there was a pause as papers being shuffled could be heard in the background, "yes, here we are. For a Ranma Satome."

Tofu gasped in disbelief. "What?" he screeched into the mouthpiece. "What is Ranma doing on the other side of the city?"

"Um… sir?" the voice asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I'm here," Tofu responded. "I'll have his recodes ready and if the hospital doesn't mind, I believe that I my self will take the them down."

"Of course Doctor," the girl responded. "I believe that a majority of the records are by special request and are not immediately pressing. Please take all the time that you need. Thank you, and have a nice day."

Tofu said his goodbyes and set the receiver down in its cradle with a puzzled look on his face. Glancing at his appointment book he cursed silently. "Damn, I'm not able to make the trip for at least a couple of days," he cursed as he stood and made his way to his filing cabinet. Some times Tofu wished he wasn't such a prominent figure in the town.

A sudden knock on the door startled Tofu from his search of Ranma's records. He was surprised to see Akane standing there. "Good morning Dr. Tofu," she said brightly. "You haven't seen Ranma today by any chance, have you?"

Tofu stared at the girl before him. The child he had seen grow up from child hood. Then he saw the look in her eye.

A look or insane rage and realized that the child had long since left him. "I haven't seen him all day," Tofu honestly replied.

Akane's face morphed into a fierce scowl before returning to the bright, chipper smile. "Okay, I'll see you later Dr. Tofu."

Tofu watched the girl as she flounced out the door and wondered exactly _how_ it came to be that Ranma would be found all the way across the city. 'It's going to be a long time till morning,' he thought in dismay as his first customer entered for the day.

And indeed it had been a very long night for Hajime as a rather disgruntled nurse woke him the next morning. She told him that Dr. Kurata was waiting for him in his office before marching back to the main desk.

Hajime glanced around the near empty waiting lounge before rousing Jason beside him. Bankotsu was harder to waken however but they managed after waving a cup of coffee under the man's nose.

Bankotsu choked on his morning sludge, as the three entered the now familiar office to find both Dr. Kurata and Dr. Ikari waiting for them.

"Good morning," Dr. Kurata greeted them. "You arrived here early this morning."

"Didn't leave," Jason yawned.

Dr. Kurata startled, "you stayed in those dreadful chairs all night?"

Hajime nodded, "we were afraid something would happen during the night."

Ikari raised an eyebrow. "You'll ruin your backs like that," she told them seriously.

Hajime shrugged as practically collapsed into the plush seats of Kurata's office. "Trust me, we know."

"Well, now that we're all settled," Dr. Kurata said. "I'll start off by saying that Satome-san is being moved from the ER to ICU as we speak. We'll be handing her case off to Dr. Ikari from here on out, so I believe that she should be the one to tell you what we know thus far."

Ikari nodded as she opened the file that had been resting in her lap. "Okay, there is defiantly something very, very strange about 'Ranma Satome'," she announced. "We were able to acquire her medical records from our sister branch as well as obtain blood samples from both Ranma-kun and Ranma-chan."

"The results?" Jason asked.

Ikari scowled at the interruption and Hajime mentally wished that Jason would curb his American habit of constantly butting in. "As I was saying," Ikari stressed, "we have been able to conclusively identify that our lady Ranma is the same one who has been seen in East Nermia."

"What of the boy?" Hajime asked intently. "Are they siblings?"

"That's where it gets interesting," Kurata piped in.

Ikari frowned. "I don't believe 'interesting' would be the word I use," she told them. "Comparing the DNA, we discovered a multitude of common chromosomes but far more than just brother and sister."

"What dose that mean?" Bankotsu demanded irritably. Suddenly the guards cell phone began a rather cheery tune from his coat pocket. Cursing, he answered before holding out the necessary plastic lifeline. "Ooshima-san," he told them.

Hajime took the phone quickly without even bothering to apologize to the two doctors, "Shirou, what have you found? Do you know where Ranma's family is?"

"Hajime-sama," Shirou's smooth voice sighed in relief. "I fear it's worse that we thought. It seems the hospital won't have too hard a time filing abuse charges, there have already been a multitude of reports already in the system."

"WHAT?" Hajime screeched and the other four exchanged nervous glances at the pure shock in the man's voice. "What do you mean charges are already filed?"

"That's just what I'm telling you. There has been a multitude of different charges filed all across the country as well as China. And you won't believe the audacity of some of them! And get this!" Shirou's voice pitched upward a few octaves. "There are charges filed concerning _both_ Ranma's."

Hajime cursed again. "The doctor's were just telling us their findings concerning the two, how soon can you be here?"

"I'm just pulling the parking lot now, I'll see you in five minutes."

Hanging up, Hajime filled them in on what Shirou had revealed and not a moment later, the man himself arrived.

He didn't even look at his boss, "have you come across the same inconsistency's as I have?" he demanded from the doctors.

"Oodles," Ikari snapped sarcastically. "If I could proceed now?" Shirou had the good sense to look sheepish and she huffed irritably. "The DNA is so consistent between the two samples that except for the X and Y chromosome, I would swear that they were identical."

Hajime gapped. "Is that possible?"

"Never in all my years of medical school, which have been quite an amount," Kurata glared at Jason, "I have never even heard of such a thing every being recorded."

"Now here's where things really get complicated," Ikari continued. "When comparing the multitude of x-rays aside from the pelvic bone, you could practically lay one on top of the other and every crack, every fracture lines up almost perfectly."

"That's absurd!" Jason snapped. "There are no two people on the entire planet who could have the exact same injuries, it just couldn't happen." Kurata pulled the disputed x-rays from his desk and handed them to the irritated man.

Jason snatched the film and a nurse was summoned to show him to an empty exam room to examine them. He was back with in five minutes. "Well call me stupid. They do match."

"Well sit down Stupid, there's more," Shirou told him.

"Jason's let's get all the facts before we explode like a volcano, hmm?" Hajime asked his friend as he waved at Jason's vacated chair.

"What was this about charges already been filed Ooshima-san?" Dr. Kurata asked.

"First thing I can tell you is that at least three law enforcement agents in both Japan and China that are currently on the look out for a one Genma Satome, father of one Ranma Satome for chargers no less than child abuse, the selling of a minor, public lewdness, public intoxication, harassment, a whole book of assault charges, fraud, some sort of violation of Amazon law or something in China and last but not least, tax evasion." Shirou explained to the shocked room.

The room face faulted. "Hello," Bankotsu muttered. "Can we say professional scum?"

"Why haven't they arrested the bastard?" Dr. Kurata demanded.

"The only reason he's not in prison right this moment is that no one can find him," Shirou explained. "According to the reports, he took his toddler son on a 'training' journey and has been hightailing it around the country, boy in tow ever since."

"What did you mean by 'training'?" Bankotsu asked.

"Well that's just it. The Satome clan has been famous for their school of martial arts. They call it the school of indiscriminating grappling or something to that effect."

Bankotsu scoffed and the others turned to look at him curiously. "From what I heard," he told them, "that school is nothing but an excuse for legal assault and battery!"


	6. Another piece of the puzzle

Chapter 6

Another piece of the puzzle.

AN: And the sh!t starts to hit the fan. Please review and tell us what you think.

**The Continuation of the Continuing Flash Back that Continues to Continue**

The group gasped at Bankotsu's announcement.

"What do you mean?" Hajime demanded.

"From what I've heard, that school has no boundaries or limits." Bankotsu explained. "They're only objective is to hash out the strongest man alive or something to that ilk and they have no qualms about how they get there."

"The strongest man alive?" Ikari scoffed. "Are they martial artists or body builders?"

"I would think a bit of both," Jason guessed.

"Indeed," Bankotsu agreed. "They have a policy of learning anything and everything and are not above using underhanded tricks to achieve their goals. Hell, from what I've heard on the gossip line, the last known head of the school had a tendency to throw cherry bombs at his opponents as he fled."

"Real bombs?" Dr. Kurata gasped.

"Hell," Ikari muttered. "That explains the severity and location of many of Ranma's fractures if she was involved in that level of fighting."

"Oh believe me, I wouldn't call _that_ fighting."

"Remember people," Shirou raised his voice over the murmured din. "This is all circumstantial and hearsay as to Ranma-chan's upbringing. We won't know any of the details until we hear from Ranma-chan herself."

Hajime nodded solemnly while Jason stuck his tongue out at the stogy lawyer. Shirou frowned. "And if she truly were brought up in such an environment," Hajime stated, "she probably is a fighter to the core and believes in what she has been taught."

The others nodded and agreed to wait until Ranma woke to receive the full story. "What did you find of the children in your investigations?" Hajime asked.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't call Ranma-chan a 'child'." Shirou warned them. "From what I can tell, she had to grow up really quick if she truly is the child of this Genma. As for Ranma-kun, it seems that he has not been seen in school for a few days. Around the time Ranma-chan appeared in your pool, Hajime-sama."

"That isn't surprising," Jason mused. "If they found out that the girl is missing, they probably have a tight hold on the son just incase he should decide to do the same."

"Indeed," Shirou agreed. "While there are a slew of multiple offences against Genma Satome in regards to his son dating for many years, its not until an incident a year ago that Ranma-chan finally appeared in the works. During a incident in China, apparently. Before then, there is absolutely no trail for a female 'Ranma Satome' anywhere in any record. Genma only has one child registered as we surmised yesterday but some of the charges are for the public selling of his daughter Ranma."

Hajime jerked upright. "What do you mean by 'Selling'?" he demanded.

"No sign of forced prostitution," Shirou assured quickly and Ikari confirmed that there was no sign of sexual abuse or anything else untoward.

"Well, that's a relief." Jason sighed.

"Then what's the 'selling' all about?" Bankotsu asked.

"It seems that Genma Satome has made a habit of bartering his children's hand in matrimony for trade of different odds and ends. Most of what the reports state that they're for restaurant or food bills but the paperwork from China is so backlogged it could be something entirely different."

"Now hold on," Jason interrupted. "She's married?" ha asked hitching a thumb towards the doors and the girl that was beyond them. "Do we have to worry about a husband suddenly showing up out of the wood work and dragging her out of here?"

"From what I can tell, none of the marriages were ever finalized."

"Well that's a relief." Three pairs of eyes looked at the current head of the Hajime clan with sudden suspicion.

Hajime coughed to cover the unintended exclamation. "What of their mother?" he asked instead. "Surely she would know the whereabouts' of her children."

"Here's the thing, Hajime-sama and the reason I drove down here instead of telling you my findings over the phone. Their mother is a Nodoka Genma, maiden name of the family Himura."

"WHAT?" The screech was deafening.

Both doctors watched in shock as Hajime whirled around and started barking orders at Bankotsu who in turn shouted them down the line of his cell phone.

"Have the guard doubled! Who knows what they'll try and do to get her back!" Hajime snapped. "I want everyone to be sharp and on alert. Also have Shijyo make his way to the other side of Nermia and have him keep an eye out on the Himura household. I want any and all activity there reported immediately! Also have Koushiro-"

"Friends of yours?" Dr. Ikari asked the only other two non-panicking people in the room sardonically.

"Let's just say there's a long history between the two," Jason replied with a smirk.

The four watched in silence until the whirlwind of commands slowed to a halt and Hajime finally fell back into his chair. "Is everything alright?" Dr. Kurata asked.

"It's as prepared as we can be in such short notice," Hajime replied.

"Um, if I may ask," Dr. Ikari began. She was suddenly pierced by four sharp, angry glares. "Um, never mind."

"No, it is us who should apologise. It is just that the Himura and Hajime clans have been at odds for what seems as if it were the end of time. I do apologise."

"Well, there's no harm done," Dr. Kurata gruff voice broke the tension the sudden flurry had caused.

"This still doesn't explain what will happen to Ranma-chan or her brother once he's found," Jason tried to bring the topic back around.

"As to that, I would assume that the two would become wards of the state," Shirou explained.

"Wards of the state? You mean like in an orphanage?" Bankotsu asked.

"Well Satome-san won't be going anywhere for quite a while as it is," Dr. Kurata broke in. "Her injuries require a great deal of recovery time."

"Not to mention the fact that she still has a number of reconstructive surgeries to undergo," Ikari added.

"There's also the fact that I'm paying for her stay," Hajime added. "Will that help?"

Shirou went over his documents. "It may help for the time being. If she is such a martial arts fanatic, she may feel indebted to our clan for helping her."

Hajime bristled. "Well I didn't mean it that way," he insisted.

"What if Ranma-chan doesn't want to go to an orphanage? Or anywhere else for that matter?" Bankotsu asked.

"It doesn't mater is she does or doesn't," Shirou told him. "It will be the courts decision."

"And if she goes back to her parents?" Hajime asked in dread.

"Kinda hard to go back to your parents when they're in jail, ain't it?" Jason drawled. Hajime frowned at him.

"Speaking of parents, what if they discover that she's here and try to get her back before the paperwork is through."

"They'll have to get through me. We have jurisdiction over the health of our patients and we can have the Satome's kicked off the premises if they try to take her." Ikari stated with authority.

"For the moment, it is your insurance that is covering the medical costs, Hajime-san. So for the time being, we have placed your name under primal caregiver on the paperwork until something more concrete is decided upon.

"Well, I guess then we just have to wait for Ranma-chan to wake up." The others were silent at Bankotsu's words.

There was a sudden knock on the door and Dr. Hashimoto timidly poked his head round the doorframe. "Doctors, Satome-san has been successfully moved to the ICU."

Ikari stood, "I should see to my patient. Gentleman," she excused herself as she quit the room, asking Hashimoto a flurry of questions concerning Ranma-chan's vitals and such.

"Perhaps we should head back now," Bankotsu suggested as he moved to Hajime's chair from where he had been leaning against the wall. "For one thing you can't do anything more here."

"He's right," Jason added. "And for another thing, we stink."

Dr. Kurata chuckled. "Well I wasn't going to say anything."

"And I really should be returning to my office," Shiro added.

"When can we visit her, Doctor?" Hajime asked.

"Well, normally we do not allow visitors save the immediate family into the ICU…" Hajime deflated at these words. "But I suppose we could make an exception."

Nodding his thanks, the three left the hospital blinking at the sudden shift from dimming fluorescent lights into the bright sunshine.

"Well, we've had a hell of a start for the week? Haven't we?" Jason chirped brightly.

It was all Hajime could do not to smack the man.


	7. Enter the Elder

Chapter 7

Enter the Elder

AN (Where back!!!! For those that don't know you can find this story under two different pen names. ON FF- it is under Shadowdreamer Lady Fate On MM & AFF it is under Kallipso. Please enjoy and tell us what you think.)

**Continuing The Continuation of the Continuing Flash Back that Continues to Continue (…maybe I should stop now…)**

It was a quite scene in the ICU the next morning. A red haired young girl lay unconscious on a bed as several I.V.'s ran into her arms supplying painkillers and nutrients to the comatose person until the sleeper woke up.

Hajime frowned at all the different machinery and equipment that beeped and hummed and dripped in un-harmonized noise. Dr. Ikura had given him an overview when he had arrived at the hospital that morning.

It seemed as if Ranma had taken to the surgery; however the damage to her leg and the resulting pins required would more than likely cause her to have a permanent limp from the shifting in the bones.

He sighed as he settled further back into his chair and dumped the magazine onto the floor. Bankotsu was out overseeing the surveillance on the Himura household and the last he heard was Shirou was still searching for the missing brother.

"What a way to star a week," he muttered as he glanced back up at the still figure.

He had studied that face for what must have been hours. He knew every curve of her brow, the jut of her nose, the-

"Oh Kami-sama, I'm losing it," he groaned as his tiled his head forward into his hands.

But he could not stop himself from looking back upward at her face. It was for this reason that he saw the slight flutter of her eyelashes and Hajime prayed that the girl would finally wake up. It was then that he noticed a small movements on the bed.

Ranma woke up feeling light headed and sore. She knew that she should be feeling sore than she was though. '_Where am I_? _The last thing I remember was that man asking me to follow him. What happened_?' Ranma thought as she went to sit up.

"Gently. Your body's been through quite a strain," Hajime chastised.

"Wha-" Ranma started to try and say. "What hap-?"

"Easy does it, easy. You shouldn't try to get up you're to injured. I don't know if you remember me but I am Kale Hajime pleased to meet you. We will talk more after you have completely healed. Right now concentrate on getting better. No one here will harm you I give you my word." Hajime explained. "Don't worry; you'll be able to recover here. Gain your strength back."

"Healed?" Ranma murmured.

"Don't worry. I'll explain everything when you're more up to it."

Ranma look suspiciously at Kale for a couple of minutes before she felt sleep pulling at her again. It did not make sense she shouldn't be so tried she had just been sleeping. Nothing Ranma could do could keep her awake however and she gently slipped into a more natural sleep. Kale sighed in relief; Ranma could be moved out of the ICU now that she had woken up. He smiled as he moved her bangs out of Ranma's eyes. They would get their answers soon and that was all he needed. Kale pushed the buzzer for the nurse and sat back with a smile on his face.

He stood as heard the door start to open. "Good news," he announced as he turned.

However the person in the door was not the nurse that he had been expecting.

"Really?" the older man in the door asked. "Well, I hope it has something to do with the fact that the triple guard at the clan house has practically made me a prisoner in my own home."

Hajime stared in shock. "Kai-Sama!" he said surprised as he made a low bow of respect. "It is an honor."

Kai snorted in disbelief. "Oh stop your groveling Kale and just explain to me what the hell is going on."

"Sir!" Hajime snapped to attention.

Kai waved a hand at the guard behind him and the female saluted to them.

Hajime nodded at the woman. "Umi," he acknowledged.

The young guard jumped slightly, obviously not expecting to be addressed personally. "Ha-Hajime-Sama," Umi stuttered in response.

Hajime suddenly got a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach and once more wished that Elder Kai did not have the habit of throwing new recruits into the fire by promoting them to his personal guard duty their first week with the montage of "Sink or Swim".

"Kai-sama, I will be right out side the door if you have need of me," Umi announced.

Kai once more waived a hand dismissively as he made his way to the bed and gazed at the figure resting upon it.

"Elder?" Umi asked again.

"I heard you the first time," Kai sing songed as quickly darted to the left and seated himself in Hajime's vacated chair picking up the discarded magazine and began thumbing though it.

Both younger people blinked at the speed at which this was accomplished before Umi turned dazedly away and shut the door behind her.

Kai turned to the only other person still conscious. "So… I'm waiting."

"Er, yes sir," Hajime fidgeted. He could hear the demand in that statement, and despite the fact that the older man was smiling, Hajime could already tell that Elder Kai was past his tolerance limit. "Well it has to do with this young girl."

"And here I thought you were just one of those people who visited hospital patients for the hell of it," Kai joked flatly.

"Er, well-" Hajime quickly gave a run down of how Ranma Satome had appeared in the house pool and what limited information Shirou had been able to discover regarding her background.

Kai glanced at the girl once more as Hajime explained her father's crimes. "So this is one of those famous martial arts prodigy students that I've heard about."

Hajime blinked. "You know of her?" his voice cracked over the question.

Kai sat back, less angry and more of his cheerful nature now that he had some of the information he sought. "Well, as Elder of the clan, it's my business to know all the different schools for everything. Not just for kendo but for martial arts as well. And archery and so on and so forth."

Hajime blinked. "Oh, well I suppose you would know her then," he murmured.

"Indeed," Kai agreed. "I have heard exploits of both of these 'Ranma's' but it never registered that I might be hearing the exploits of two people." Kai's eyes snapped back to Hajime. "However, the fact that the girl is from such a controversy school is still not a reason to triple the guard at the school."

"Well," Hajime began. "It's more the fact of who her mother is than her father."

Kai blinked at him. "…and…?"

Hajime took a deep breath. "Her mother's maiden name was 'Himura'."

The breath held as he waited for Kai's reaction.

Kai flipped through the magazine idly. "So?"

The breath came out in a gush and Hajime stared at him dumbfounded. "'SO'?"

Kai dropped the magazine in a repeat of Hajime's earlier movements. "Kale," Kai said almost tiredly, "from what you've said it was her own family that has put her in this state. The fact that we are known rival clans, do you really think that they will just barge in here and take her back?"

Hajime blinked stupidly. "Well, yes."

Kai rolled his eyes heavenward. "Ah youth." Hajime just continued staring at him. "Kale, the Himura's, or rather the Satome's will have to deal with the situation cautiously." He explained. "To just charge in and take her back would result in another fight between our clans. Not to mention the legal ramifications. They must surly recognize this situation for what it is."

"What is it?" Hajime asked.

"Simple," Kai picked the magazine back up. "We have a bargaining chip."

"She is not some 'pawn' to be used!" Hajime snapped angrily.

Kai raised an eyebrow at the unusual outburst from Hajime. For the younger man to show such concern for a non-clan member was telling Kai that perhaps this young girl had already gotten to the boy more than any sword would.

Hajime gasped just as surprised by his outburst as the elder. "Forgive me Kai-Sama."

Kai shrugged it off. "This doesn't change that the Himura clan _will_ see her as a bargaining chip and use her as such."

Hajime deflated some what.

They were suddenly interrupted by a timid knock on the door before it was opened to reveal Umi entering with a small tray. "Elder Kai?" the girl asked cheerfully, "I've brought you some tea."

It seemed as if the feeling of dread that Hajime had felt was well founded for as the girl was so intent of looking at Kai, she did not watch her footing and her toe caught one of the trailing cables.

All three gasped as the girl went flying in one direction and the tea another.

True to Ranma universe the hot tea landed right on top of her.

And the second the hot liquid touched her skin, Ranma began to scream.


	8. The problem with genders

Chapter 8

The problem of genders

**Continuing the Continuation of the Continuing Flash Back that Continues to Continue now continues (Seriously, some one stop me!)**

Every gapped at the girl thrashing on the bed.

There shock changed to horror as they watched on as the girl on the bed started to transform. Ranma started to grow larger by several inches and her hair started to turn black.

Another scream tore from Ranma's throat and this seemed to snap every one out of their shock and everyone sprinted into action. Kale jumped up and grabbed Ranma's shoulders trying to keep her from coming off the bed as Umi gently grabbed Ranma's cast and tried to keep it from moving.

Kai, meanwhile had darted to the door and began screaming himself. "Nurse! Nurse! Doctor! ANYONE? HELLO! We are in need of assistance here! HEY! CODE RED!"

One of the hospital nurses suddenly appeared obviously having heard the screaming and ran in the room as well.

"About friggin time," Kai muttered. "I thought _I_ was going to go into cardiac arrest."

"What the hell is going on here?" The nurse demanded as he ran over to help the other two.

"I don't know but help us hold her down. She's too injured to move around like this." Hajime replied as the nurse ran to the other side to help Umi.

They continued holding her still in an effort to keep the strain of her injuries as the nurse grabbed the in-house phone and was currently barking orders down the line.

After a couple of minutes Ranma's shaking had stopped and they were able to let go of her. The nurse, Umi and Kale all looked at each other then down at the woman on the bed. In addition to her new height Ranma's hair had completely changed and was now predominantly black with red tips. The height difference mainly consisted of several more inches from her original height and even her face seamed to have gotten longer, her cheeks now less rounded.

Kai took one look at Ranma and immediately ordered Umi and the nurse to find Ranma's doctor. They took one look at the somber look on Kai's face and immediately turned to do his bidding.

Hajime, meanwhile, stared down at the figure on the bed. So different than the face that he had been memorizing all morning.

"What-What happened?" he asked forlornly as he moved to take the girls hand into his once more.

Kai sighed as he once more sat down. "I have an idea of what has just transpired-"

Hajime's head whipped around, a look of pleading, curiosity and dread all rolled into one marring his features.

Kai held up a hand, stalling any questions that were about to fly out of his mouth. "-I would like to have it confirmed first before I am sure, however."

Hajime sighed and settled back down to wait for Dr. Ikari, his many questions would have to wait until the doctor's arrival.

At the same time, Doctor Ikari groaned as she made her rounds in the ICU. It had not been a fun day so far. Two remissions and an emergency bypass.

All in all, Dr. Ikari was looking forward to the end of her shift.

So having a nurse suddenly run up to her and tell her that she was needed immediately, Dr. Ikari had to suppress the urge to strangle the nurse with her bare hands.

"What patient?" she demanded, already snagging the clipboard from the girls limp fingers. Once glance at the chart however and Dr. Ikari was already sprinting down the hallway before the poor hapless girl could open her mouth.

She burst into the room full throttle and immediately went to the bedside, uncaringly shoving Hajime to the floor. "What the hell did you do to my patient?" she screeched.

"Ah, you must be the lovely young woman who is treating Satome-san," Kai said scathingly.

"What's it to you old man," Dr. Ikari growled, her stethoscope already moving around Ramna's chest as she looked at the multitude of monitor screens. "I want to know what the hell happened to Ranma!"

"We don't know!" Hajime finally snapped. "The only thing that happened was one of our subordinates accidentally spilled tea on her and then this!"

"OUT!" Dr. Ikari snapped. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Now get out so I can examine my patient!"

Hajime huffed as he heaved himself to his feet and turning, he marched out the door. Kai was slower however with his exit as he made his way to Dr. Ikari already examining the printouts.

"I am not the kind to repeat myself," Dr. Ikari growled.

"No I suspect you are not," Kai agreed. "I simply thought I would help you out a little." Dr. Ikari raised her head and glowered at the old man but waited for him to finish. "I would suggest that you do a full body exam and er, check her reproductive organs."

Dr. Ikari gasped and Kai scurried out of the room before the woman could have him thrown out of the hospital completely.

She stared at the retreating man and gestured to the entering nurse to close the door. With a deep breath, she began moving the girl's hospital gown aside. Letting out a small cry of surprise she quickly told the nurse to go and have an exam room readied and got to work examining her patients new, unique form.

Hajime and Kai watched curiously as the nurse bolted out the door and ran down the hallway not unlike a startled rabbit.

"So," Kai began. "Is she like some sort of witch doctor or is she just a bitch?"

Hajime let out a small huff of laughter, "I would say a bit of both," he told the older man.

"Hm," Kai nodded as he went back to watching the passer-by's. "So, do they have food in this place?" he asked.

"Elder Kai!" Umi saw this as her cue to move to their side from her nearby hovering. "I am so sorry that I have done harm to the poor girl inside and I beg humbly-"

"Apology accepted," Kai interrupted once more. "Go see if they have any melon bred left in that place they call a cafeteria.

Umi blinked before scurrying in the nurse's wake towards the elevators. The two men shared a smile before they were interrupted by two orderlies suddenly entering Ranma's room with a gurney and Dr. Ikari appearing in the open doorway gesturing for them to enter.

Sharing a look of curiosity and a bit of dread at having to face the formidable woman, they followed her into the now cramped room as the two burly men followed Ikari's orders as they shifted Ranma's unconscious form from one bed to the other.

Dr. Ikari turned to Kai. "Alright old man, just what the hell happened? And how did you _know_ about her changed organs?"

"What? Hajime's gaze swivled between the two, "what changed organs? What happened to her?"

"For starters, she isn't really a 'her' now," Dr. Ikari growled as she continued to glare daggers at the elder Hajime.

"What?" Hajime gasped. "What the hell does that mean?"

Dr. Ikari waved a hand in Ranma's general direction. "I mean that she's not a she! Hell, she's not even a he!"

Hajime could feel his temper begin to boil. "Just what are you blabbering about?"

"I mean my patient is no longer the patient I started with!" Dr. Ikari snapped.

The two orderlies began to move Ranma out of the room and Hajime quickly stepped in front of them. "Wait, what the hell is going on? Where are you taking her?"

Dr. Ikari glared at him before turning to the two orderlies, "I grant you permission to use force to move this man out of the way." Kai quickly grabbed Hajime's arm and jerked him out of the door way. He may be over eighty but he still had the strength of the warrior he once was.

Dr. Ikari snorted in exasperation. "You really shouldn't know where I'm takeing her but since I'm a nice person," here she ignored Hajime's huff of disbaleife, "I am sending Ranma down to x-rays, and having a sonogram brought up to see if there is going to be any issues that need to be address due to this… phenomenon."

She turned to the orderlies who seeing that they had an open shot quickly pushed Ranma's gurney out the room. "I'll give Ranma something for the pain after I know what I am dealing with." Dr. Ikari continued. "I can't give her anything until I know whether or not I am going to have to operate on that leg again. Ranma has also opened two other wounds that I will stitch shut later."

She turned murderous eyes towards the two men and pointed down the hallway pointedly. "You two can wait in my office. I don't want you anywhere near any of the patients until I know what the hell is going on!"

Hajime stared at the ferocious woman before glancing back at the retreating orderlies. "Can you at least give us some idea of what happened?" he asked.

Dr. Ikura gave a twisted smile. "From what I can tell from the preliminary exam, Ranma is now a full working hermaphrodite." And with that, the doctor turned and strode purposefully after her patient.

The two men stared after her. "Well," Kai finally broke the silence, his voice as calm as ever. "You don't see that everyday."

Hajime merely fainted.


	9. An answer to a question

Chapter 9

An Answer to a question

AN (can any one pickup on what BDQ was thinking about when she helped rewrite this chapter?)

**Continuing the Continuation of the Continuing Flash Back that Continues to Continue now Continues to Continue (…please…)**

It took Kai and three more burly orderlies to manage to manhandle Hajime into Dr. Ikari's office, poor Umi who had finally returned from the horrors of the cafeteria line was suddenly sent back down again, this time for a bottle of water for the unconscious man.

"Honestly," Kai muttered as he started lightly slapping Hajime's cheek. "Sometimes I wonder if I retired as head of the clan too early."

Umi soon returned and thanking the girl, Kai to a quick swig of the water before dumping it right over Hajime's head.

"What- What the hell?" Hajime jumped up, sputtering water as he whipped the liquid from his eyes.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Are we awake?" he asked handing Umi the now empty bottle and sending her for another.

Hajime simply looked down at himself. "Well, we're defiantly wet."

"Ah, good," Kai smiled. "So you're not delusional."

Hajime sighed as he slumped into his chair. "That I'm not so sure about. I could have sworn that Dr. Ikari said that Ranma is now-"

"A hermaphrodite?" Kai interrupted. "You're no more delusional that normal.

Hajime jerked upright at Kai's confirmation. "So she did say that?" he asked incredulously.

Kai nodded again and Hajime once more slumped into his seat.

Well, I feel like I've been sucked into a crazy parallel dimension," Hajime confessed and Kai shot him a concerned look.

Kai shook his head. "Really too early," he muttered.

It was ten minutes later that Dr. Ikari finally entered the office and marched strait to her leather high back chair behind her desk. "Alright old man," she growled. "I want some answers and I want them right now!"

Kai nodded in agreement and settled himself more comfortably in his chair. The other occupants of the room held their breath as they waited for the answers they just knew he could provide.

"When I was young" Kai began, "my grandfather talked about a place in China. The place was called the pools of sorrow. Each pool holds a curse. Those that went to the cursed training grounds and fought generally ended tragically."

"Great," Dr. Ikari muttered under her breath. "Magical mumbo jumbo."

Hajime, however was enthralled by the story and had wandered over to where Ranma lay. "You're saying that Ranma went to these 'pools of sorrow'?" he asked.

Kai nodded somberly. "It is a famous training ground for martial artists."

"What does that have to do with the price of bread?" Dr. Ikari snapped. Kai glared at her momentarily and Dr. Ikari settled somewhat.

"Oh," Hajime nodded in understanding. If it were a famous traning ground then there was no doubt that Ranma's insane father had probably dragger her there when they were in China.

"Each pool," Kai continued, "holds the form of the creature that first drowned there. Anyone else there after who fell into the pools were cursed with the form of what ever had drown in the pool they fell in." Kai explained. "Those unfortunate enough to fall into the pools are usually taken to the Amazon tribe that lives nearby. If the cursed one is male they are generally provoked into fighting one of the maidens, if they knock her out they are then considered her husband. These men have no rights and are second class citizens no matter how good a fighter they are. If the cursed one was female they are generally killed after they fight one of the Amazon's. We shall have tread lightly for a little while. If Ranma is cursed like I think he is than an Amazon is sure to be following him. They are not know for there generosity and are quite hard to get rid of." Kai said.

Hajime nodded. "Shirou had said that Ranma and her father are wanted in connection to some broken Amazon law in China and that there was a family of Chinese Amazons currently running a restaurant where Ranma was frequently seen. Apparently the granddaughter is listed as one of Ranma-kun's fiancée's."

"Well, that proves it," Kai said with conviction. "Ranma must be one of the poor martial artist who are trapped by the curse."

"Is there a cure?" Hajime asked hopefully.

Kai shrugged. "At the time I was told the story, no one knew of a cure. It is possible that there has been one discovered since his time but I highly doubt it. As far as my grandfather knew, the curses have no cure and are in fact intermixable of one another."

"So you mean if you fell into two different pools that you would be a combination of the pools that you fell into?" Hajime asked the elder.

"Yes, young one." Kai answered. "I would have to guess that poor Ranma here fell into a pool where a young girl drowned. I am unsure if she can switch between the two forms now."

Hajime's jaw dropped in shock as he looked down at the still figure when a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Wait, does this mean that the male Ranma and the Female Ranma are one in the same?"

"Based on your story and young Shirou's report about young Ranma, I would have to say so," Kai shrugged.

"Just how did the curse work?" Hajime asked.

"According to my grandfather, cold water activated the curse while hot water subdued it. However, judging from the way she looks now, I think I would have to guess that a mixture of both of Ranma's halves that was formed due to her injuries and the weaning of the drugs. They seem to have made Ranma's original body and his cursed half to merge creating a merger of male and female. He glanced at the doctor who until this time had been sitting very still. "Well doctor? Am I correct in my assumption?"

Ikari scowled but nodded the affirmative. "Well, I can tell you right now that Ranma is a merger of both male and female on the outside. We'll have to wait for the x-rays and the sonogram before I can tell you more however."

The two nodded as Kai stared at the woman with a searching look on his face. "I must say that you've taken this explanation far better that I would suspect a person of science would have."

Dr. Ikari sighed as her posture dropped out of the ridget position she had it in. "Well I must confess I did a bit of my own investigative work after speaking to Hajime-san and his friends." She took a pen off her desk and started to fiddle with it. "I had a friend of mine find out about the East Nermia District and some of the stories he reported back to me just seemed too incredible to believe! If I did not know that Ranma had been located in Nermia I would definitely tell you that you are two screws loose of a full bolt but I have to say after hearing the rumors about Nermia I will have to give you the benefit of a doubt."

Kai smiled. "Thank you, doctor for giving us the benefit of a doubt I know not many would. I fear that the merge may have caused more injuries to Ranma unfortunately."

Dr. Ikari nodded, "that is my fear as well." She reached for her phone and spoke to receving end briefly. "I got them to put a rush on the x-rays but the sonogram is coming."

After a few silent moments where each was lost in their thoughts, there was a knock on the door and they all turned as a different doctor with x-rays in his hands and enter the room.

Thanking the man, Ikari moved towards the light machine on her wall and shoved the x-rays into the holder, opening the manila envelope and perusing the contents written within, once in a while glancing at the x-ray to confirm something.

"Well," she finally said as she moved back to her desk. "I can definitely tell you now that Ranma is a complete merger between boy and girl.

Kai slumped slightly at that announcement. "This poses a problem," he said.

Dr. Ikari and Hajime glanced at the man. "How so?" Hajime asked.

"If it were just a curse, then Ranma always had hope of finding a cure but now…"

"Now he is a fully functioning hermaphrodite with no curse to cure," Dr. Ikari finished nodding gravely.

Hajime felt a deep surge of sorrow well within his chest for the girl… boy…

Dr. Ikari cleared her throat and continued reading from the charts. "It seems as if he has both sets of genitals and they are both full functional. Unfortunately when the merger happened it shifted the pins in Ranma's legs and opened some internal wounds that we were already worried about and Ranma is being preparing for surgery again."

She dropped the file onto her desk with a resounding thud. "Unfortunaltly the original pins are now too small for her," Dr. Ikari blinked. "his? Hell, which is the real Ranma?"

"Ranma is probably a boy judging from the reports we have prior to his trip to China," Kai explained.

"Well, whatever. They found a different set of pins to put in Ranma's leg that's a different form of synthetic that should give more and allow Ranma to heal faster. That's all I can tell you for now." She stood from her seat and nodded to the group. "I'm sorry gentlemen I have a surgery to perform if you excuse me."

Hajime and Kai slumped back into their seats to once more wait for the report from Dr. Ikari, Kai finally opening his melon bread and offering some to Hajime who declined.

There was another knock at the door and Umi entered the room, immediately bombarded with the somber atmosphere. She blinked in surprise and glanced at the two leaders of her clan. Her voice was shaking with anxiety when she finally dared break the silence. "Did I miss something?"


End file.
